What Is The Treatment For High Blood Pressure
- limiting your alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks per day for men, or 1 drink per day for women with high blood pressure
However, lifestyle changes may not be enough. Some people also need medication to help reduce blood pressure levels to normal. While medicines are usually very effective at lowering blood pressure, they may cause side effects in some people.
Usually doctors will start a person on a low dose of a medicine and see how it goes. If it doesnt work well enough, or if there are troublesome side effects, other medicines will be used, sometimes in combination, until the blood pressure is controlled. This can take time. Some people will take medicines for life, although others will find that continuing to lose weight and changing their diet reduces the need for medicines.
Someone whose blood pressure is very high or causing symptoms such as headache, or if they have conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, may need urgent treatment with medicines to bring the blood pressure down to normal levels.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recommends that you regularly review with your doctor or specialist any medications you are taking for high blood pressure or high cholesterol to assess the ongoing benefits and risks. For further information, visit the Choosing Wisely Australia website.
Physical Activity And Blood Pressure
Being physically active is a great way to manage your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
All types of physical activity count. Walking, cycling, swimming and yoga are all great for your health. Its important to do activities you enjoy as you are more likely to keep active if you are having fun. It is recommended that you:
- do 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity five or more days per week. If you like, you can break this up into smaller bouts, such as three 10-minute walks
- include muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
What Does It Mean When The Bottom Number Of Your Blood Pressure Is Over 100
When the bottom number of blood pressure is over 100 mmHg, it may be called diastolic hypertension . The normal range of diastolic pressure should be 60 to 80 mmHg in adults. Anything above this is considered abnormal . However, when blood pressure readings are above 180/120 mmHg, they are dangerous and require immediate medical attention.
Causes of DHT
DHT is most commonly associated with
- Increased body mass index
- Increased glucose level
- Certain factors such as the male gender may put you at a slightly higher risk.
Treatment options for DHT
- Because the risk of cardiovascular events is low in young people, no treatment is required. However, treatment in elderly people should be individualized in such a way that the underlying cardiovascular disease is addressed and the target DBP does not fall below 70 mmHg.
- Lifestyle measures and weight loss must be initiated.
- A study on DHT reported that calcium channel blockers are frequently used with success. Other drugs of choice are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and diuretics.
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Treatment For Low Or High Blood Pressure
Your reading may indicate a blood pressure problem even if only one number is high. No matter what category of blood pressure you have, its important to monitor it regularly. Talk with a doctor about how often you should check your blood pressure at home.
Write the results in a blood pressure journal and share them with the doctor. Its a good idea to take your blood pressure more than once at one sitting,
The doctor will likely address that health condition or concern first.
If its unclear why your blood pressure is low, treatment options may include:
- eating more salt
- wearing compression stockings to help prevent blood from pooling in your legs
- taking a corticosteroid like fludrocortisone to help increase blood volume
What Do The Numbers Indicate When Writing Blood Pressure
The top figure represents the amount of pressure in your arteries during heart muscle contraction. This is referred to as systolic pressure. Most blood pressures are made up of two figures, with the first being higher than the second.
When you write “blood pressure” these figures should be written in scientific notation: 120/80 mm Hg. Scientific notation is a way of expressing large or small numbers by using a special type of notation called “scientific.” It makes arithmetic operations on the numbers easy. For example, if you want to know what number comes next in the sequence, you can use scientific notation to easily find this out: Next number in sequence is 10 times previous number, so the next number is 100 × 99 = 9900.
Scientific notation uses three parts: a number within parentheses, m for milli- then a decimal point and finally the number itself.
For example, 1000m is the same as 1 thousand. It shows that you have one thousand units. Milli- means one million, so 1mm hg is one hundredth of a meter per centimeter square of mercury. You may see other ways to express these numbers, such as K and psi, but they’re not as common as milli-.
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Taking Blood Pressure Medicines
Once you start to take medicines to manage your blood pressure, you may need to take them for the rest of your life. However, the dose of these medicines may change over time. If your doctor recommends you take blood pressure medicines, its still important to make healthy choices when it comes to your diet and physical activity.
If you need to take medicines, your doctor will advise you on the correct type and dose. Two or more different medicines are often needed to manage blood pressure.
Make sure you take your medicines regularly. Some things that may help you remember to take them include:
- building them into your daily routine by taking them at the same time each day
- keeping them somewhere that will remind you such as next to your alarm, or with your coffee or tea
- asking a family member or friend to remind you
- always carrying a list of your medicines with you, including their doses and when to take them
- entering a daily alarm in your mobile phone or downloading an app to remind you.
Take any blood pressure medicine exactly as prescribed. Dont stop or change your medicine unless your doctor advises you to.
Why Is Your Blood Pressure Important
Your blood pressure is important because if it is too high, it affects the blood flow to your organs. Over the years, this increases your chances of developing heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, eye disease, erectile dysfunction and other conditions.
Very occasionally, people with very high blood pressure are at serious risk of problems and need urgent treatment in hospital to reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Current Australian guidelines recommend that if you have persistent raised blood pressure over 160/100 mmHg, but are at low risk of having a stroke or heart attack, you should talk to your doctor or specialist about taking medication to lower your blood pressure.
For further information, visit the Choosing Wisely Australia website.
If youre over 18, you should have your blood pressure checked by your doctor at least every 2 years, or more often if advised.
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How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed
High blood pressure is usually diagnosed by a health care professional after a blood pressure screening during an annual checkup. If your blood pressure is usually normal, one high reading is likely nothing to worry about.
Blood pressure can be temporarily raised by lots of different things such as physical activity, dehydration, what you eat or drink, and even the temperature outside. Just being in the doctors office can raise blood pressure.
So before diagnosing high blood pressure, your doctor will likely look at past readings and possibly take another reading. If theyre still not sure, they may recommend additional testing with a home blood pressure monitoring system. And depending on your risk factors or other health conditions, you may be referred to a cardiologist who specializes in cardiovascular diseases .
Target Your High Blood Pressure
Once you have been diagnosed with hypertension, remember that high blood pressure can be lowered. For most people, blood pressure readings should be lower than 140/90 mmHg when measured in the doctors office. At home, your blood pressure should generally be below 135/85 mmHg. For those people with diabetes or kidney disease, lower blood pressure is even more important and should be below 130/80 mmHg when measured in the doctors office.
Most people who lead healthy lifestyles do not suffer from high blood pressure. For those with hypertension, following the steps outlined above will lower their blood pressure.
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Medications For High Blood Pressure
There are a variety of medications that can help manage high blood pressure. Again, medication is typically recommended when lifestyle changes dont produce results, and in more serious blood pressure cases like stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. Medications for high blood pressure include:
- Alpha, beta and alpha-beta blockersStop epinephrine and similar hormones from affecting the cardiovascular system, allowing the muscles of the heart and arteries to stay relaxed.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitorsStop the body from producing angiotensin, a hormone that narrows blood vessels.
- Angiotensin receptor blockers Stop angiotensin from affecting blood vessels.
- Calcium channel blockersHelp keep arteries relaxed by preventing calcium from entering heart and artery cells.
- Central agonistsHelp control heart rate and blood flow by blocking signals between the brain and the nervous system.
- DiureticsReduce excess sodium and water in the body.
- Renin inhibitorsSlow the bodys production of the enzyme renin, which can play a role in high blood pressure.
- VasodilatorsPrevent artery and vein muscles from narrowing.
The ‘bottom’ Blood Pressure Number Matters Too
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 — When it comes to blood pressure readings, the “top” number seems to grab all the attention.
But a large, new study confirms that both numbers are, in fact, critical in determining the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Blood pressure measurements are given as a “top” and “bottom” number. The first reflects systolic blood pressure, the amount of pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts. The second reflects diastolic blood pressure, the pressure in the arteries between heart muscle contractions.
For years, systolic blood pressure has been seen as the one that really matters. That’s based on studies — including the famous Framingham Heart Study — showing that high systolic blood pressure is a stronger predictor of heart disease and stroke.
At the same time, though, doctors measure both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and treatment guidelines are based on both. So just how important is that diastolic number?
“The idea behind this new study was to address the confusion,” said lead researcher Dr. Alexander Flint, an investigator with Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s division of research.
Using medical records from 1.3 million patients, his team confirmed that, yes, high systolic blood pressure was a stronger risk factor for heart attack and stroke. But those risks also climbed in tandem with diastolic pressure and people with normal systolic readings were still at risk if their diastolic pressure was high.
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Drink Alcohol In Moderation
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will increase your blood pressure and raise the cholesterol levels in your blood.
Sticking to the recommended amounts of alcohol consumption is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.
The recommended daily limits of alcohol consumption are:
- 3 to 4 units of alcohol for men
- 2 to 3 units of alcohol for women.
A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure or spirits.
More about drinking alcohol reponsibly
What Are The Main Causes Of High Blood Pressure
In most cases, doctors cant point to the exact cause of high blood pressure. However, several things are known to raise blood pressure, including:
- Age: The risk for high blood pressure rises as you age. Through early middle age, high blood pressure is more common in men. Women are more likely to develop it after menopause.
- Being overweight or obese: The more you weigh, the more blood you need to bring nutrients to your tissues. As the volume of blood goes up, so does the pressure against artery walls.
- Not being physically active: Inactive people tend to have faster heart rates. That makes the force of blood against your arteries harder.
- Using tobacco: Tobacco use immediately raises your blood pressure on a temporary basis. In addition, the chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of your artery walls.
- Too little vitamin D
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Stress: High levels of stress can lead to a temporary, but dramatic, rise in blood pressure.
- Certain chronic conditions: Including high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, and sleep apnea.
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Can High Blood Pressure Affect Pregnancy
High blood pressure complicates about 10% of all pregnancies. There are several different types of high blood pressure during pregnancy and they range from mild to serious. The forms of high blood pressure during pregnancy include:
Chronic hypertension: High blood pressure which is present before pregnancy.
Gestational hypertension: High blood pressure in the latter part of pregnancy.
Preeclampsia: This is a dangerous condition that typically develops in the latter half of pregnancy and results in hypertension, protein in the urine and generalized swelling in the pregnant person. It can affect other organs in the body and cause seizures .
Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia: Pregnant people who have chronic hypertension are at increased risk for developing preeclampsia.
Your provider will check your blood pressure regularly during prenatal appointments, but if you have concerns about your blood pressure, be sure to talk with your provider.
So You Have High Blood Pressure What Else Could Be Wrong
If you have high blood pressure, get checked for diabetes and high cholesterol. Most people who have high blood pressure also have some of the other risks for heart disease and stroke, such as not getting enough physical activity, having unhealthy eating habits, smoking, being overweight or drinking too much alcohol. Ask your doctor to test your kidney function through a blood and urine test, and through the electrolytes in your blood kidney problems can cause high blood pressure.
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How To Measure Blood Pressure
There are a few ways to check your blood pressure. For example, your doctor can check your blood pressure in their office. Many pharmacies also offer free blood pressure monitoring stations.
You can also check it at home using home blood pressure monitors. These are available for purchase from pharmacies and medical supply stores.
The recommends using an automatic home blood pressure monitor that measures blood pressure on your upper arm. Wrist or finger blood pressure monitors are also available but may not be as accurate.
When taking your blood pressure, make sure you take the following steps:
- Sit still, with your back straight, feet supported, and legs uncrossed.
- Keep your upper arm at heart level.
- Have the middle of the cuff rest directly above the elbow.
- Avoid exercise, caffeine, or smoking for 30 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
What Is The Lower Level Of Blood Pressure Called
Diastolic blood pressure When your heart is at rest between beats, the bottom number in a blood pressure reading corresponds to the amount of pressure in your arteries. It’s usually listed first, followed by the systolic pressure, the top number in the reading.
The diastolic pressure is made up of two numbers: the first number is measured when the artery is relaxed and undisturbed the second number is measured after a few beats when the muscle surrounding the artery contracts and expands. This makes sure that enough blood gets pumped into the artery for measurement. The term “diastolic” comes from the fact that the number is recorded when no other blood vessels are disturbed.
Systolic blood pressure The top number in a blood pressure reading is known as the systolic pressure. It tells you how hard your heart is beating when it registers a number on the blood pressure cuff. Your doctor may want to know both numbers because some diseases can cause one number but not the other. For example, diabetes can lead to high blood sugar levels which affect the systolic pressure but not the diastolic pressure.
Taking your blood pressure accurately A good way to check your blood pressure is with a blood pressure monitor. These devices sound an alarm if the number they read is higher or lower than normal for you.
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When Youve Just Been Diagnosed
| I’m fit and healthy, so why do I have high blood pressure? |
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For many people, there is no single specific cause of their high blood pressure. Your genes can play a role: youre more likely to develop high blood pressure if youre from an African-Caribbean or South-Asian background or people in your family have had high blood pressure. You can lower your risk of high blood pressure by leading a healthy lifestyle. If you have high blood pressure, medicines and a healthy lifteyle will help to lower it. |
These tests help your doctor to:
You may need more detailed investigations, your doctor will discuss these with you. Find out more about if you have high blood pressure. |